FAQ on Home Exchange

General

Can I use my primary home for exchanges in the iVHE system?

IVHE Home Exchange offers two different ways to home exchange: direct home exchange, suitable for primary homes as well as vacation homes; and non-simultaneous and non-reciprocal trades. The latter system works best with:

Using a second /vacation property to make trades

Having good availability throughout the year to maximise your trades

This is because the more availability your property has, the better your chances of building credits to use when you want to holiday at another member’s property.The IVHE Home Exchange credit system does not always work that well for primary homes, mainly because most primary homes have very limited availability to other members and will almost certainly need a direct swap to make it work. The exceptions to this would be:

If you are away from your primary home quite often.

If you travel a lot and therefore your primary home is available at different times throughout the year.

If you do not have to take your holiday at exactly the same time as you host another member (direct home swap).

Do I get to contact other IVHE Home Exchange members before the trade?

Yes, IVHE are happy to pass on contact details if both owner and guest are willing to share the information. This is the standard practice.

Do you do direct home exchanges?

Yes, IVHE now prides itself on being able to offer both non-simultaneous house exchanges AND direct (simultaneous) home swaps.

We would like to list more than one property, is this allowed?

Yes, with your membership you can list as many homes as you like.

How many exchanges / trades will I get in a year?

There is no limit to the number of trades you can do in a year. This is very difficult to predict. Location, activities, size, style: all sorts of factors play a part, but there are all sorts of members (singles, families, skiers, golfers, etc.) and those who just want to chill out, so location desires are just as varied.

Do you take on resort property or time-shares?

Yes, this is possible, providing they are available for a substantial or flexible period each year.

When I rent out my property I usually ask for a damage deposit, can I do that when trading with IVHE Home Exchange members?

Yes, this is possible. We are not aware of any member having done so yet, but that is entirely up to you. The difference between renting a property and trading within IVHE is that when renting you have no idea who your guests are, and they have no reason to respect your property. With IVHE Home Exchange members, they are also property owners and expect people to look after their property; they are like-minded people. As we are a membership network, any bad reports would come back to us. To provide extra peace of mind, please remember that travel insurance usually has public liability that covers any accidental damage to a property that the member is staying in. You should, of course, check the terms of the travel insurance with your guest.

I have my own agreement, can I use it?

Yes, you are sent a copy of IVHE's standard home exchange agreement to which you can add any special requirements/restrictions and can add your own agreement as well.

Is my property safe when home exchanging?

Your property is much safer occupied than standing empty. We also take references from all our home exchange members before they can stay in another member's house. For more information, view the IVHE 4 Star Verifcation.

Credits exchange

Does my property qualify for IVHE Home Exchanges?

Location and quality are our most important criteria. We are happy to accept properties in any area where people wish to travel. The size of your property is not important as long as it is equipped and maintained to a high standard.

I do not rent out my holiday home; how many credits might I get?

In this situation we would find out the rental income of a similar property in your area to determine the amount of credits you are entitled to receive.

What is the process of a trade?

Once you have found property you would like to visit, just submit your trade request online. When we have established that the property is available on the required dates both host and guest are sent a copy of a trade agreement and given each other's contact details.

I can only take so many holidays, what happens if I have enough credits and don't need any more for the time being?

Every time we get a trade request we will forward it to you, and it is up to you to decide if you would like to accept it. If you get to a point where you feel you have enough credits for a while, just let us know and we can temporarily stop sending you requests.

Can I let my family or friends use my credits?

Credits can be passed on to family or friends as long as the host is happy for you to do so. In this circumstance the IVHE Home Exchange member will always be liable for any damage to the property. It is important to let the host know before a trade has been agreed.

What happens if my guests cancel their home swap at the last minute?

If your guests have to cancel at the last minute you will still be entitled to the credits you were due to have earned. Read more...

What happens if I have to cancel my trip at the last minute?

We will do our best to find someone else to take your place, but if the place remains empty you will have to pay the credits due. We recommend that you take out travel insurance as you would do for a usual holiday – hosts are normally willing to provide financial receipts. Read more...